


Destiny

by ChelleLeigh1917



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-05
Updated: 2013-08-05
Packaged: 2017-12-22 12:35:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/913289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChelleLeigh1917/pseuds/ChelleLeigh1917
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fluffy take on the moring of Richard and Anne's coronation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Destiny

Anne had not slept that much during the night. There had been too many thoughts going through her head. Memories really, mostly of her father, and how proud he would have been on this day. He'd wanted so much for one of his daughters to be on the throne, had schemed, fought, and died for it. Today would be the day, she would fulfill that ambition. Today was their coronation day, hers and Richard's. 

When she'd married Richard, she'd never believed he would be King nor that she would be Queen, and that had been just fine with her. She'd watched what that ambition had done, what it had cost. Her first marriage, the one that to this day, she preferred not to think of at all. Her father's death, honestly it had taken awhile for her to inwardly come to terms with that. She'd not been able to say goodbye to him. She was a knight's daughter, had grown up in a time of war and uprisings. But to the girl she'd been then, her father had seemed invincible. Then to find herself amongst those he'd been fighting against, no she'd felt it was best to hide her feelings, her grief. It had not been until she'd married Richard that she'd been able to grieve openly. Holding her in his arms one night, shortly after they'd returned to Warwick Castle, he'd told her it was okay to let it out, that she needed to let herself grieve. That night, she'd given in to the tears for the first since the immediate aftermath of learning about her father's death. Safe and secure in Richard's arms, she'd sobbed like the frightened girl she'd been that day. 

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was pinned up, she was dressed, except for the robes, and she'd dismissed her ladies for a moment, wanting a little time for herself. Anne Neville, that had been her identity for the first fifteen years of her life. Anne, Duchess of Gloucester; that had been her identity for the last eleven years. She looked down at her hands, she wore only her wedding band, the ring Richard had placed on her finger that long ago night. Typically it and earrings were the only jewelry she wore. But after today, that would change, there would be a coronation ring on her finger, a crown on her head. After today, her identity would be Anne, Queen of England. Queen Anne. 

She heard a movement behind her, and turned around, honestly ready to scold whoever had come back into her chamber. The words immediately died on her lips when she saw it was Richard. He held his hand out to her. 

She got up and went over to him. "Is it time?" She asked, slipping her hand into his. 

He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "No, not yet." He said softly. "I wanted to see you." 

She smiled softly. They'd spent the night apart, according to tradition. She in the Queen's chambers, he in the King's. They'd never been a couple who liked to sleep apart. She couldn't help but wonder for a moment if both of them would have been able to sleep better if they'd been together. "I missed you last night." She said softly. 

"And I you." He said just as softly. "I do promise you this. We will not be a King and Queen who sleep apart. We will share our chambers, as we always have." 

Of course, she'd never doubted that. She knew they didn't sleep well apart. "And will it be the King's chambers or the Queen's chambers?" She teased him. 

He leaned in, and murmured into her ear. "Perhaps we should test them, and see which bed we like the best." He pulled back, seeing that she was blushing now. He leaned in again. "Eleven years of marriage, and I love that I still have the ability to make you blush." He brushed his lips against her cheek. 

She smiled softly, starting to bring her hand up to run her fingers through his hair, then she remembered she couldn't, not right now; today of all days, they must look regal, perfect. 

"You look beautiful, regal." He said softly. Of course, he realized what she'd wanted to do. Later, when the ceremonies were over, and they were alone, there would be time for that. He gently touched the bodice of her dress, tracing a finger over a few of the pearls. "I've always liked this dress." He smiled. 

"That's why I chose to wear it." She said softly. 

He nodded. "Last night, I found myself thinking of your father." He said softly. 

"You did?" She asked, just a little surprised. "He's been much in my thoughts." She said softly. 

He nodded. "I thought he would be." He smiled softly. "Actually, I have something for you." 

She smiled. "And what is it?" She asked, as he reached into the pouch that was on his belt. When he drew it out, she could tell it was a chain, a necklace of some kind, but he way he was holding it, she couldn't fully see it. 

"When Warwick Castle was awarded to me, I immediately had the master chambers and several others cleared out." He said softly. 

She nodded. She'd always know of course that the bed in their chamber was different than the one which had been there when it had been her father's bedchamber. 

"This was found in one of the coffers in our bedchamber." He said softly. He opened his hand to show her the pendant which was on the chain. 

Anne recognized it immediately. Her father's heraldry symbol, the Bear and Ragged Staff. She gasped, covering her mouth with her hands for a just a moment. 

Richard smiled softly, moving to clasp the chain around her neck. "It was orginally a pin, likely worn on one of his hats. I put it into one of my coffers and forgot about it for years." He stepped back a little once it was in place. "I found it again a couple of years ago, and had it made into a pendant for you. I never could find the right time to give it to you though. It seems now that I was saving it for today." 

"Thank you." She said very softly. "You cannot imagine what it means to me." 

He kissed her forehead. "I believe can, Anne, for I know you very well. There is no doubt in my mind that if he were here today, he would look upon you with much pride. You are undoubtably very much your father's daughter."

She smiled. "I believe you know what those words mean to me." She said softly. 

He nodded. He lifted the pendant in his hand. "I believe though, this should stay between us." 

"Of course." She murmured as he slipped it underneath her bodice. Anne looked up at him, and Richard could not help but smile at the brightness of her eyes. She placed her hand on her bodice over where the pendant now lay. 

After just a moment, Richard placed his hand over hers. "You asked earlier if it was time." He said softly. "I believe it is now time for us to face our destiny---together." He said softly, bringing her hand up to his lips again.

**Author's Note:**

> When I first saw the promotional shots of Richard and Anne's coronation, I could not for the life of me figure out why in the world she was wearing the same dress she wore to marry Edward of Lancaster. Personally, I would have burned the dress. While watching the episode for the second time last night, an idea hit me. Maybe she was wearing the dress because Richard likes it. That's how this story was born.


End file.
